John Rockne Books in Order
Part ofDan Ames Books in OrderBrowse the John Rockne books by Dan Ames in order, with summaries, series background, and easy tips on where to start.
Last updated: July 4, 2026
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Publication Order
9 books
Dead Wood
by Dan Ames
2011
Disgraced ex-cop John Rockne is hired to investigate the murder of a woman in Grosse Pointe. His first case as a PI opens onto violence, music, and vengeance.
Hard Rock
by Dan Ames
2014
John Rockne chases the truth behind a young man's murder in Grosse Pointe. A killer known as the Spook wants the past buried for good.
Cold Jade
by Dan Ames
2015
John Rockne searches for a missing young woman living under the name Jade. The trail leads him into a world of drugs, pimps, thieves, and murderers.
Body Blow
by Dan Ames
2017
In the resort town of Good Isle, a boxing legend disappears and both John and Ellen Rockne get pulled in. The deeper they look, the uglier the town becomes.
Easy Prey
by Dan Ames
2017
A prominent doctor turns up dead in an abandoned part of Detroit, and John Rockne knows the victim. His search exposes the rot beneath Grosse Pointe's polished image.
Long Shot
by Dan Ames
2017
John Rockne investigates the murder of a respected neurologist during a sailboat race. What looks clean on the surface unravels into greed and betrayal.
Deep Lies
by Dan Ames
2025
John Rockne investigates the murder of pro golfer Marcus Tate outside an exclusive club. Beneath the polished surface of the sport, he finds jealousy, betrayal, and danger.
Fast Burn
by Dan Ames
2025
A seemingly simple Detroit killing erupts into a much bigger problem for John Rockne. The case burns hot, and the danger spreads quickly toward his family.
Full Smoke
by Dan Ames
2025
Two suspicious fires tied to Detroit's most powerful family put John Rockne on a trail of old money and cleaner-looking lies. The smoke hides a body, and much more.
Series background & context
John Rockne is one of the key figures in Ames's work. He is a disgraced ex-cop from Grosse Pointe who now works as a private investigator, and that setup lets the series move between wealthy suburban polish and the harder realities just outside it. A Rockne book is often about contrast. Big houses, old money, country clubs, and carefully trimmed lawns on one side. Grief, corruption, addiction, and violence on the other.
That Detroit and Grosse Pointe setting matters a lot. Ames writes it like a real pressure zone, not just background scenery. The murders in Dead Wood, Hard Rock, Cold Jade, Long Shot, Easy Prey, and Body Blow all feel shaped by place. So do the later books, even when the cases widen into golf, fire, or older family power. John is good company in that world because he knows both the respectable face people show and the uglier things they protect.
He is also a steady private-eye lead. Not flashy. Not chatty for the sake of it. Just sharp enough, stubborn enough, and damaged enough to keep following the case when it would be smarter to stop. If you want Ames in his pure Detroit crime lane, John Rockne is the place to begin.
Edited by
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